Heath Marshall slammed after getting behind the wheel seven times over the limit with child in back seat

A Mount Gambier father has been slammed after he drunkenly ploughed through a wooden bollard while his three-year-old child was in the back seat.

A driver has been slammed after he decided to get behind the wheel while nearly seven times over the legal limit with his child in the back seat, a court has heard.

While his three-year-old slept, Heath Marshall, 35, drunkenly reversed through a wooden bollard at Sealy Reserve, Mount Gambier.

The court heard Marshall had been drinking since morning, before strapping his child in the back and attempting to drive to his ex-partner’s house, a court has heard.

Mount Gambier man Heath Marshall got behind the wheel while nearly seven times over the limit. Picture: File

Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos slammed the driver for his reckless actions.

“The fact that there was a child present in the car with a range of 0.342 is astounding,” Ms Kossiavelos said.

“You realise the consequences of what could have happened?”

Marshall, who was unrepresented, told the court he was “ashamed” at what he had done and had already made some lifestyle changes including an abstinence of alcohol and joining the New Roads program.

A police prosecutor told the court the Mount Gambier man made several attempts at reversing before he broke through the wooden barrier and was stranded on the grass.

Heath Marshall made several attempts at reversing before he broke through the wooden barrier and was stranded on the grass. Picture: Supplied

“He had drank a bottle of red wine during the day — his first drink was that morning,” she said.

“Bearing in mind there was a three-year-old child present at the time — we would be looking for a longer period of disqualification.”

CCTV of the incident showed Marshall arrived at Sealy Reserve cameras around 3.45pm on April 16, 2022 — crashing about 4.30pm when attempting to leave.

Marshall pleaded guilty to one count of drive with prescribed alcohol with a child under 16 present on Monday at the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court.

During her sentencing remarks, Ms Kossiavelos said she was pleased the accused was taking steps to address his drinking.

“What happened that day was a bad decision,” she said.

“The good news is that you are doing something about what was going on in your life.”

Marshall was handed the maximum fine of $1600 as well as a 12-month loss of licence backdated to April 19.